


late night swimming

by nafnaf



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Canon, goro being a teenager for once, soft boys having fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-05 13:59:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11579502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nafnaf/pseuds/nafnaf
Summary: Akira takes Goro swimming at night, and things take off from there.





	late night swimming

**Author's Note:**

> i saw goro's swimsuit and i was shook as hell anyways here is this i wrote it in 30 minutes

He’s not sure how Akira managed to drag him to the swimming pool this late at night. Or, rather, _how_ he knew Goro’s apartment complex had a swimming pool to begin with. But here they are, in swim shorts and sandals, the warm summer breeze assaulting their skin.

“This is stupid,” Goro says, but the fact that he’s already dressed for swimming undermines the statement.

“Don’t you mean, incredibly genius?” Akira smirks and bumps shoulders with him.

“No, I mean, this is _stupid. I_ look stupid.”

“Shut up, you’re hot,” Akira protests, completely nonchalant, and the compliment makes Goro blush. He slaps Akira hard on the shoulder, eliciting a yelp and startled laugh.

“You don’t just _say_ that,” Goro murmurs, ignoring the wink Akira sends his way. Rolling his eyes, Goro steps further into the vicinity and tosses his towel onto the nearest chaise lounge, reaching behind his head to tie up his hair. Akira watches.

“Stop looking, idiot.” He kicks a sandal Akira’s way and Akira squawks.

“Whoa! What are you talking about?” he says, knowing exactly what Goro is talking about. Goro huffs, massaging his neck to dispel the heat there.

“Whatever. Quit standing around like an idiot and do something.”

Smile widening, Akira settles his things nearby and pokes Goro in the chest. “Gladly, Your Highness. Meanwhile, you should take off that stupid jacket so we can get in the water.”

“This jacket isn’t _stupid—_ ”

“Morgana begs to differ. He sleeps on it because he doesn’t mind it getting dirty.”

Before Goro gathers to wit to say anything about it, Akira takes off toward the pool’s edge. He clearly can’t resist the touch of drama, for he pulls back and sprints into the water, creating a giant splash.

“Ack!” Goro pointlessly shields his face; he gets wet anyway. His treasured jacket, now soaked, sticks unpleasantly to his skin, and he peels it off and drops it on the ground. That’ll have to dry for several hours. _Damn that Akira._

Smugly, Akira wades up to Goro, the lower part of his face hidden underwater so that Goro can’t see his lips quirk. “You’re not wet, yet.”

“I _am_ ,” Goro protests, descending into the pool, “no thanks to you.”

“It’s not enough.” Akira grins devilishly. “Here.”

“What are you— _gyah!”_ All of a sudden, Akira lunges forward and seizes Goro by the shoulders, taking him down with him. There is a surge of water in his vision as Goro sinks under, Akira’s smirk the only visible thing in front of him, and then they are bobbing up, out of the water and into the summer air. Goro spits off to the side, facing Akira indignantly.

“What the hell was _that?_ ”

Akira laughs boisterously, impervious to the pout on Goro’s lips. He flips his hair out of his eyes, and Goro thinks, through his haze of anger, _Oh, shit._

“You’re all drenched.” Akira smiles, bright and enthusiastic. “Good, we can swim for real now. Are you cold?”

“What?” Breathing heavily through his mouth, Goro rakes his hand through his hair and slaps the pool’s surface. “ _That’s_ why you nearly drowned me? You’re a goddamn _idiot_ , Akira Kurusu. You could’ve just done—” He splashes Akira in the face. “— _this!_ ”

Akira splutters defensively, recoiling into the water. When he resurfaces, there is a mischievous grin set upon his face. “Come on. I’m not a bigger idiot than the idiot who chose to _join_ the idiot. Now play along with me or I’ll _really_ get serious.”

“Oh yeah?” Goro folds his arms across his chest. “ _How_ serious?”

The question startles, but entices Akira Kurusu. His grin evolves into something destructive, and he swims closer, eyes glinting with the white from the pool lights. “Is that a challenge, Goro Akechi?”

“And what if it was?” Goro presses, tilting his chin upward. Akira’s eyes darken.

“You’re going to regret taking me on.”  

“I see no reason to be afraid—” Without warning, Akira whips out a water gun and aims it at Goro’s face, pelting him mercilessly. The water is _freezing_ ; Goro holds his hands out in front of him, deflecting most of the assault.

“What in the—were you keeping that in your _pants?!_ ”

“Don’t worry,” Akira says, reaching down into his shorts, “I have something else that can shoot for you.”

“Don’t tell me it’s your—”

All of a sudden, something small and colorful is catapulted in his direction. Goro catches it a second too late. “Here.” Akira snickers, trying a little too hard to hide his laughter. “Shit, man, it’s just another water gun. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

Blushing furiously, Goro examines the gun and says, "There's no way I'm playing water gun with you."

"Uh, fuck that. You're playing water gun with me and you're going to like it."

Goro glares at him, threatening.

"You're going to pretend to like it to make me feel better."

Huffing childishly, Goro surrenders his initial refusal and attempts to refill the gun. Akira waits until he fails twice before swimming up to him and taking it from his hands.

“Have you never used a water gun before?” he asks, innocuously. But the question fills Goro with shame and a bit of anger.

“Never had the opportunity to.”

 _That_ puts a real damper on the mood. Akira looks like he wants to say something, but he thankfully doesn’t, instead, fiddling with the water gun in a way that attracts Goro’s attention to his hands. He spends too long watching them, apparently—he’s awoken by a small, pathetic squirt of water to his face, and his features scrunch up as it hits.

“There. It’s working.” Akira smirks, and Goro frowns at him. He catches the gun as it is tossed to him again, examining it further. This time, it’s functional enough that he can refill it properly, sending an abrupt spray of water to Akira’s face.  

The expression Akira makes, then, is _priceless._ Goro grins triumphantly.

“This is a war of attrition, Akira Kurusu. To the one who lasts the longest!”

Akira’s surfacing grin is slow, but menacing. “So it is, Goro Akechi.”

Reinvigorated now, he reloads his own gun and assumes position. There is a mock countdown—”Three, two—” Akira stares at Goro. Pauses, teasingly. Goro is about to launch forward when finally, Akira screams, “One!” And they take off like wild dolphins.

Goro dives sideways, avoiding the rapid fire from Akira’s gun. He has to swim closer for a better chance of hitting his target, so he submerges himself, disappearing from sight. Akira has a full two seconds to gather himself before Goro is there, catching him by the waist.

“H-Hey!” Akira squirms, refastening his grip on the gun. “This isn’t fair.”

“All’s fair in love and war,” Goro says, attack ready. But the hand on his face catches him off-guard; Akira leans in and kisses him on the nose.

Startled into stiffness, Goro sputters. Laughing, Akira shoots at his face, taking advantage of the distraction.

“Got you,” he sings, reestablishing distance. Goro snarls.

“That wasn’t fair!”

“Didn’t you just say?” Akira twirls his gun in his hands. “All’s fair in love and war!”

Indignity rising, Goro rethinks his approach and goes for full-on aggression. Akira meets this with equal enthusiasm, using his hands to splash Goro fervently. Rather than a battle of wits, it turns into a battle of passion, both boys charging at each other with energy that never seems to die. It fills Goro with a light, bubbly feeling; it emerges as laughter, laughter that Akira responds to with his own. Goro’s body goes weak at the sound. He almost stops treading.

Though, if Goro stopped treading, his body would float, anyway.

Something must be funny about his face—because Akira’s laughing so hard that he doubles over, unable to continue any longer. He manages, “Your _hair_ —” Before he interrupts himself with another bark of laughter. It's annoying. But still.

He’s so luminous like this—and it’s the brightest Goro has ever seen him.

Goro feels his heart stutters out of his chest. He forgets what they were doing for a second, but then, it all rushes back to him.

Akira is recovering from his laughing fit, a hand over his chest as he tries to steady his breathing. Goro grins slyly. This is his chance. Quickly leaping forward, he brings his charged weapon to Akira’s face and aims it carefully.

“Caught you,” he says, relishing in Akira’s shocked face, and pulls the trigger. It gets Akira right in the forehead—the same place where—

Goro freezes up, his grip going slack. The gun falls into the water with a wet slap.

Hurriedly, he pushes himself off. He can barely keep himself afloat, memories flashing through his head like flickering lights. It becomes hard to breathe. His eyes grow blurry.

“Goro?” Akira asks, swimming forward in alarm. Goro shrinks back, hysterical.

“I-I’m sorry—”

“Sorry?” Akira asks, then stops. His gaze darts between the gun and Goro’s trembling hands, realization dawning on his face. “Oh.”

“Y-Yeah.” Taking in a shuddering breath, Goro spins around and heads for the stairs. “I’m sorry, Akira, I ruined everything again. I always seem to spoil the fun…”   

“No, what? Come back here,” Akira orders, taking him by the wrist. He pulls, forcing Goro to face him. The look on Akira’s face, then, is less angry, more apologetic.

“… Goro…”

Averting his gaze, Goro lightly tugs at the hands on his wrist. They don’t budge.

Akira leans forward. “Are you still… ?”

“Why should it matter?” Goro snaps, tears hot on his cheeks. “You should be upset, not me. After all, I… I hurt you.”

“No.” Akira tilts his head, water droplets slipping from his hair. “That you is different. This is you _now._ You would never hurt me now, and that's what matters most, right?”

Goro shivers. Each word is like a bullet, ripping through him one by one. He purses his lips, hopes it isn’t obvious how much he’s desperate to cry out and scream. He can’t stop thinking about Akira, Akira’s head on the desk, blood pooling around him—

“Hey.” The words are soft, pulling him out of his reverie. “Hey, listen to me, Goro. I’m fine right now, aren’t I? I’m safe now, thanks to you.”

“… Thanks to me…”

“That’s right. You saved us at Shido’s Palace. And helped us take him down when we found you. Because of that, we’re here together. Swimming on a summer day.”

Gradually, his breathing slows. He’s still shuddering, but they’re short and barely there, calmed by the warmth from Akira’s hands.

“I-I know.” Goro looks up and sucks back his tears. “I’m here, with you. And I’m swimming at the pool, having fun.”

_The most fun I’ve ever had._

“Of course,” Akira whispers. He wraps his arms around Goro, and Goro returns the embrace, sinking into the sensation. “Don’t ever forget that, Goro. I’m never gonna leave you, and that’s never gonna change.”

“… I wouldn't want it to.”

“Of course not. Who would?”

Sniffling sullenly, Goro draws back and assesses Akira’s face, the wet strands of hair clinging to his face, the light reflecting in his gray eyes. They're so caring. Full of adoration and affection. Gently, Goro brushes his nose against Akira’s and knows, immediately, that this is real. They _are_ together. Akira isn’t dead in an interrogation room and Goro isn’t rotting in his father’s cognitive world.

This is reality. In a cold swimming pool on a summer night, their bodies flush together.

Slowly, Akira leans in for a kiss; Goro gives it to him. For now, there is no reason to be afraid. When Akira kisses him like this, warm and soft and slow, he can be reassured that Akira is safe. That is one thing he can hold onto, be sure in its validity.

Maybe his past can't be erased. But he can continue making memories like this with Akira, to snuff out all the bad ones. After all, they don't matter anymore. What matters is that now he has Akira. And Goro will never give up on him.

**Author's Note:**

> edit: so like just been recently informed apartment swimming pools barely exist in japan.... sobs


End file.
